In a time when episodic television was the norm, “The X-Files” broke ground with a dense and complicated mythology that spanned over many episodes and even seasons. It was the precursor to the modern era of television, paving the way for long-form favorites like “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men,” and “Stranger Things.” That innovation also makes it a potentially difficult show to dive into if you’re not in the know. And you absolutely should dive in if you haven’t already because “The X-Files” is just darn good television. If the phrase “dense, complicated mythology” makes your skin crawl, there is an easier way to check out “The X-Files” without having to commit yourself to a decade’s worth of storytelling: the monster-of-the-week episodes.
While I’ll probably attempt to explain the expansive lore of “The X-Files” at some point in the future, the truth (a popular word here) is that the best introduction to Agents Mulder and Scully are the various standalone episodes in which the paranormal investigators face every threat in this world or any other. You would see such classic fiends as vampires and ghosts, along with weirder creeps such as humanoid flatworms and stretchy mutants. If I may be honest with you, I personally prefer these monster-of-the-week cases. The ongoing mystery is certainly worth your time. Without it, we wouldn’t have classics such as “The Erlenmeyer Flask” and “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man.” But to me, the heart of “The X-Files” is two strange individuals in search of even stranger truths. Despite pioneering long-form television, I like the episodes where Mulder and Scully are in a brand new setting and reacting to a whole new world of weirdness. In these episodes, Mulder and Scully act as a pair of Rod Serlings who interact with their own Twilight Zone.
The episodes on this list are not necessarily the best, although I think many of them qualify as such. What I think this list does is illustrate why “The X-Files” is a phenomenal work of fiction. Some of them are scary, others are funny, and some are just plain odd. You’ll shake with fright one moment and cry your eyes out the next. Even with its reputation as “that alien show,” “The X-Files” was never just one thing. Most of these episodes may fall under the umbrella of “supernatural thriller,” but that just proves how many different themes and tones can be conveyed within one genre. If you are already a believer, you’ll see a few expected choices along with a few offbeat selections. For those who want to believe, prepare to unravel the shocking mysteries of “The X-Files.”
1. Squeeze (Season 1, Episode 3) and Tooms (Season 1, Episode 21)
The Monster: Eugene Tooms – Mutant Cannibal
The third episode of the entire series, “Squeeze,” firmly establishes “The X-Files” as a show in which any manner of monster may appear. And boy, they don’t get any more monstrous than Eugene Tooms. Who is Eugene Tooms? Well, he’s a 100-year-old mutant cannibal who eats livers to sustain his unholy existence. When he hunts, his eyes glow an ominous yellow; he can elongate his body to disturbing proportions. Every 30 years, Tooms returns to feast again. He’s a Pennywise soul in a Stretch Armstrong body.
“Squeeze” is wonderful for many reasons. Despite being a monster-of-the-week episode, it does a lot to establish the characters of FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. We already know the basics at this point: Mulder is a talented but eccentric criminal profiler obsessively pursuing the paranormal; Scully is a brilliant doctor and ardent skeptic assigned to scientifically analyze Mulder’s cases. That is known in the first two episodes. “Squeeze” shows us just how loyal Scully is, rejecting the FBI mainstream to support Mulder’s crazy investigations. They are opposite yet equal forces who stand by each other even if they often disagree. That foundation of respect is a reason why Mulder and Scully are such a powerful duo.
Another and possibly more compelling reason to watch “Squeeze” is that it’s scary. Like, really scary! It’s as scary as a TV-14 will allow. Doug Hutchison based his portrayal of Tooms on Anthony Hopkins in “Silence of the Lambs,” and it is certainly comparable to Hannibal Lecter in terms of creepiness. However, Tooms is a nearly silent character, making him all the more unnerving to me. There’s an intensity and remorselessness to Tooms that make for a truly memorable villain. (That and the liver-eating, of course.) There are plenty of delightfully disturbing scenes, like when Mulder discovers Tooms’ elongated fingerprints. “The X-Files” is inherently creepy, but “Squeeze” showed that the show wouldn’t shy away from pure horror.
I also included the sequel here, which is appropriately titled “Tooms.” That makes Tooms one of the only monsters outside of the main conspiracy to make a reappearance. “Tooms” is sort of the second half of “Squeeze,” although it aired nearly 20 episodes after that first story. “Squeeze” is superb without “Tooms,” but it feels more complete with it.
2. Eve (Season 1, Episode 11)
The Monsters: The Eves – A Government Cloning Experiment Gone Wrong
This one is all about Eve. And Eve. And Eve. And also Eve. In this tale of twin terror, a man is found dead in Greenwich, CT, with two incisions in his neck. He’s been completely drained of blood. Mulder suspects a paranormal creature and makes the logical assumption: aliens! Nope, not vampires! Clearly aliens! And it turns out Mulder is wrong. The culprit was neither aliens nor vampires, for a second murder occurred at the same time in San Francisco. At both crimes, the victim’s young daughter was present. The weird thing is that both daughters are identical.
I’ve already spoiled too much, and I don’t want to spoil anymore. Suffice to say, “Eve” is a real chiller with plenty of twists, turns, and Eves. It’s also a perfect introductory episode. In fact, it was the first episode I saw. More accurately, it was the first one I truly watched. I believe I saw part of a mythology episode and nearly gave up on the series. It wasn’t because it was bad; it was because I was completely lost. Then I happened upon “Eve” and immediately fell in love with “The X-Files.” That’s why finding the right starting point is important, my friends. Hopefully, this list can help a few potential X-Philes find the right episode for them.
Anyway, “Eve” is another creep show with a strong central case and a pair of unsettling performances by Erika and Sabrina Krievins. The twins will no doubt draw your attention and scare your socks off, but Harriet Harris also deserves credit for the role of… well, I’ll let you discover what role. Though “Eve” gave the band Eve 6 its name (true, by the by), it’s a fairly underappreciated episode. Many like it, but very few would rank it among the best. I am one of the few, and I think “Eve” is a masterpiece of mad science. It’ll do for soda what “Psycho” did for showers.
3. The Host (Season 2, Episode 2)
The Monster: The Flukeman – A Fluke Man
Some of these “X-Files” are unsettling because they depict evil in a startling, real way despite the unreal nature of the series. Others are because they create an atmosphere of extreme dread. And there are those that are unsettling because they have an icky, gross worm-man living in the sewers. This is a worm-man episode. The best damn worm-man episode in the history of television. Bodies are eaten, victims are dragged into septic tanks, and a whole lotta tapeworms. That includes one found in a liver, solidifying “The X-Files” as a firmly anti-liver show.
The previous two entries should appeal to lovers of crime thrillers and dark science fiction. “The Host” is for all you B-movie maniacs out there. You don’t want to be eating a meal during “The Host.” We’ve had horror before, but this one ups the gross factor. It also has what may just be THE most iconic monster of the entire series in the Flukeman, affectionately known as “Flukey” to his friends and fans. He’s like the Creature from the Black Lagoon’s less attractive cousin.
Ol’ Flukey was portrayed by Darin Morgan, a man you will read about again very soon. The suit took about 6 hours to put on, and Morgan would stay in the suit for up to 20 hours at a time. He could not breathe through his nose, and he could not eat. He also had to go to the bathroom in that bulky monstrosity. Morgan suffered to create the finest worm monster known to man, so you need to watch this one to honor his sacrifice.
4. Humbug (Season 2, Episode 20)
The Monster: You’ll just have to wait and see.
Well, I told you Darin Morgan would be back! This time, he’s behind the scenes as the writer of this curious caper concerning carnies and carnage. Morgan only wrote a handful of episodes, but most of them ended up becoming all-timers. An average Morgan episode is weird, funny, and devilishly clever. “Humbug” was the first of his scripts, and it just so happens to be a defining moment in “X-Files” history. For starters, “Humbug” is the first overtly comedic episode. That’s not to say it’s a spoof or anything. It’s the kind of offbeat humor that complements this sort of macabre material.
The very first scene plays with audience expectations. We are shown what appears to be a classic “X-Files” monster, only for it to be a genial father. And then the real monster shows up. This is the story of one of the few freak shows left in the world. The whole episode mourns the loss of that sort of weirdness in modern society while also celebrating it. (This is made even more clear by the major roles of real-life sideshow performers Jim Rose and The Enigma of the Jim Rose Circus.) Yes, this is a “Who’s the real freak?” story, but it’s done with wit, empathy, and plenty of well-executed horror.
“Humbug” is a hard episode to talk about without spoiling anything. There’s a surprise in just about every minute. For fans of Tim Burton and David Lynch, this will surely be a hit. And I’m not just saying that because Michael J. Anderson and Vincent Schiavelli appear (and give excellent performances). There’s a love and understanding of the outsider paired with a twisted take on Americana. All in all, it’s the freakiest show.
5. Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose (Season 3, Episode 4)
The Monster: A Psychic Psycho
I recommend checking out every episode on this list if you want to get into “The X-Files.” However, if you just want to watch just one to understand why the show is so reversed, it has to be “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose.” Not only is it considered by many as the absolute best episode of “The X-Files” (Rolling Stone Magazine called it such), but it’s also considered to be one of the best television episodes, period. (TV Guide called it the tenth greatest episode in television history.) Heck, it was the only X-File to win the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series. In some ways, it’s a typical “X-Files” story: a supernatural maniac is picking off victims one-by-one. In this case, the maniac in question is a psychic who kills other psychics and fortune tellers. Some victims have their eyes and entrails removed. It’s pretty gruesome stuff, but “The X-Files” was often pretty gruesome.
If it were just a straight episode about Mulder and Scully hunting a psychic killer with all those grisly details, it would be a pretty decent episode. But Darin Morgan wrote this one, so you know it isn’t going to be a typical episode. Like “Humbug,” there is a lot of humor, but that comes naturally from Morgan’s style. This is a thriller that happens to have a lot of genuinely funny moments. Humor aside, this is a deeply touching episode about a clairvoyant who never knows peace because of his gift. He is the titular Clyde Bruckman, played to perfection by Peter Boyle. Bruckman sees visions of ghastly things, so he is in a constant state of depression. His arc leads to some of the most heartbreaking moments of the series.
A lot has been written and said about this episode. Some take it as a critique of television writing due to the theme of predestination. The killer (known as “The Puppet”) is mainly a plot device that exists simply because a story of this nature needs a killer. The fact that Clyde Bruckman shares a name with the famed writer/director of silent comedies is also significant. Unfortunately, to explain why would be a spoiler. I see a viewing of “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” in your future.
6. Jose Chung’s From Outer Space (Season 3, Episode 20)
The Monsters: Men in Black and Aliens
Darin Morgan wrote three of the ten spots on this list. With how well-received each of his episodes were/are, you would assume that he was the most prolific writer of the entire series. And you would be wrong! In the original run of 9 seasons consisting of 20 or more episodes, Darin Morgan wrote four. I included three and almost the fourth. There was always a sense that he both completely understood the show and was also keen to destroy it. Remember how I said “Humbug” was not a spoof? “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space” certainly is.
Charles Nelson Reilly (yes, really) is Jose Chung, a talented but controversial author who writes about the abduction of two teenagers by aliens. But the truth gets muddled as every witness (Mulder and Scully included) has their own version of the events. What starts as a fairly typical (too typical) abduction story turns into a farce of staged government invasions and Men in Black agents who may or may not be Jesse Ventura and Alex Trebek.
I don’t want to give away too much, but there are many strong gags that poke fun at “The X-Files” as a whole. In a broader sense, it plays with ufology in general, lovingly making fun of real-life UFO encounters. For whatever reason. Jesse Ventura’s delivery of “Your scientific illiteracy makes me shudder!” always gets a giggle from me, along with a Mulder moment I dare not spoil. Just remember this: What you saw was Venus.
7. Quagmire (Season 3, Episode 22)
The Monster: Big Blue – A Lake Monster?
There was no way “The X-Files” wouldn’t tackle the Loch Ness Monster myth. And while I appreciate the mystery here and always enjoy a sea monster, that isn’t the main reason the episode is here. On one level, it’s a good one to start with because it has many of the classic elements we associate with “The X-Files.” If someone unfamiliar with the show watches it, they’ll instantly get what it’s about. However, the main reason this episode is on the list is because of the “conversation on the rock,” It’s a scene that is so well-known to X-Philes that they will immediately know what you mean by “conversation on the rock.” Google even recognizes that term. In short. the conversation between Scully and Mulder allows for a deeper understanding of who they are, their philosophies, and their overall relationship. I’ve heard it said that this was the scene that sold many on Mulder and Scully as characters. For that reason alone, it makes the list.
8. Home (Season 4, Episode 2)
The Monsters: The Peacock Family – A Family of Inbred Killers
Oh, boy. Nearly every episode of “The X-Files” can be described as “sci-fi horror.” This is one of the few to cut out the sci-fi and amp the horror up to 11. How scary is it? Well, it’s the only episode of the entire show to receive a TV-MA. Considering all the intestines and liver-eating I just described, you know that means something. It was so disturbing it received a viewer discretion warning for graphic content. They weren’t messing around when they made this one.
Now, this is an excellent place to start… for certain viewers. Others may think it’s a bit much. What “Home” really does is show just how far “The X-Files” was willing to take its horror. If you are unbothered by the likes of “The Hills Have Eyes” and “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” then you’ll have no issue with “Home.” If you actively enjoy that sorta thing, you’ll just eat it up. But for the squeamish or faint-of-heart, this will scare you off “The X-Files” forever. Appropriately enough, this was advertised as a Halloween special of sorts. If a show as ghoulish as “The X-Files” deemed this one scary enough to be the Halloween episode, you know it’s got to be good.
9. Bad Blood
The Monsters: Vampires!
This episode was NOT written by Darin Morgan but by Vince Gilligan of Breaking Bad fame. Gilligan wrote several fantastic episodes, but this was probably his finest hour. Gillian Anderson considers it the best episode of the show. It feels like Gilligan is paying tribute to Morgan, but it’s probably the funniest of the pure comedy episodes. Mulder and Scully have to explain what happened during an investigation potentially involving vampires, and their stories don’t exactly line up.
When Mulder kills a “vampire” wearing fake fangs at the start, you know you’re in for something unique. This revolting “Rashoman” riff also shows us how the agents view each other, and it’s pretty funny stuff. For that reason alone, it belongs on the list. However, that’s also the reason why it shouldn’t be the first episode you watch. I’d say it’s great for your fourth or fifth, though. So much of the humor comes from the characters of Mulder and Scully. Once you have a rough idea of who they are, then “Bad Blood” is superb. Fangs for the memories, Mulder and Scully.
10. How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (Season 6, Episode 6)
The Monsters: G-g-g-ghosts!
Well, it’s time to end with what will probably be my most controversial choice. Like I said, these aren’t necessarily the best episodes. These are the ones I think are good for beginners. I know “How The Ghosts Stole Christmas” works on that level because I’ve shown it to at least four people who have never seen “The X-Files,” and they all dug it. “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas” isn’t an undeniable classic like “Clyde Bruckman…,” but it has its fans, myself included. I included this one because it really is just a good old-fashioned haunted house story. There’s a dilapidated mansion and two ghosts (wonderfully played by Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin). It’s perfect for a Halloween episode… it just happens to be a Christmas special.
That’s another reason I included it. Christmas specials were always a surefire way to get me to watch a show. I am a sucker for Christmas, and I imagine a lot of other folks are as well. “How the Ghost Stole Christmas” isn’t just a Christmas special, it’s a spooky Christmas special! “Terrifier 3” has proven that the world wants more scary holiday stories. This one may just become a new Yuletide family tradition, especially if yours is the Addams Family.
- The Phibes Philes: Hail! Hail! Shock ‘N’ Roll – The Spellbinding Story Of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - March 17, 2025
- The Phibes Philes: Adventures In Animation – The Episode That Almost Killed The Simpsons - March 7, 2025
- The Phibes Philes: The Oscars vs. Horror – Ten Monster Movies That Should’ve Been Nominated For Best Picture - February 28, 2025
